The War with Skyclan
by Yarrow and Nami
Summary: Yarrowpaw is a loyal apprentice to Windclan. She falls in love with a Skyclan apprentice and they become good friends, but when her brother is kidnapped by Skyclan, she does not know who to trust. Rated T for a couple bloody deaths, nothing worse than the actual books.
1. Chapter 1

Yarrowpaw was a dark cream she-cat with black paws and amber eyes. She was glad to call herself an apprentice of Windclan, loyal to her clan in every way. She was in patrol with her brother Hawthornpaw and their mentors, and had caught 2 mice and a rabbit already. "I'm gonna go look along the borders, okay?" "Whatever, stay out of trouble." Responded her mentor Smallgaze.

She had caught the scent of mouse on the air. In hunting position, she started to stalk towards it. She had a build like a Thunderclan cat, and mice were her specialty. A black and white tail stuck out of the bushes, scaring the prey away. Yarrow paw stood up, annoyed. "Why did you do that Hawthornpaw!" A black and white cat stuck his head out I the bushes. "Hawthornpaw?" He had blue eyes, the color of the ocean, very different from her brothers green ones.

"Hello? I asked you a question." He meowed. "I'm Marshpaw, what is your name?" He smiled. "Y-Yarrowpaw... nice to meet you ... Marshpaw." Yarrowpaw stuttered. He purred. She smiled. "What brings you to Windclan territory?" He blushed. "Oh my Starclan I am so sorry I am on your territory!" Yarrowpaw shook her head. "I think it's fine, as long as you don't steal prey. What clan are you?" "Skyclan. Wanna play?"

About a moon had passed since Yarrowpaw met Marshpaw, and tonight she was going to the Gathering. Her dad, Timberfall stood high over the cats. He was standing on the Highrock to speak for Windclan, since the leader was in the medicine den. The entire clan worried for Goldenstar, as he was on his last life. Her mother, a pure white she cat with green eyes named Icepelt, was licking her new litter, Ripplekit, Wolfkit, and Shellkit. The entire clan seemed peaceful, as the hunting patrol came back with 2 rabbits to add to the fresh kill pile.

As the patrol came back, Yarrowpaw realized Hawthornpaw was not with them. They all looked emotionless, and as she looked closer, cut up and bruised. The medicine cat, Quailbush, ran up to them. "Milkcreek! Duskberry! Kinkspots! What happened?!" Icepelt rose her head. "Where is Hawthornpaw?" The patrol shook ther heads looking at the ground. It was Kinkspots that spoke.

"Skyclan got him."

Yarrowpaw took a step back, and ran out of the camp. She could hear Timberfall calling out her name, but she didn't care. Tears swelled in her eyes, as she ran to the underground caves. She knocked her paws against a rock, and a moment or two later the black and white cat came into the cave. "Whats wrong?" He exclaimed. They only used the secret knock in emergencies. She turned her head away from him. "You know Marsh!" He frowned. "Yarrow, tell me. I don't know what you are talking about." "As deputy of me you should! Thats what deputies do..." Marshpaw licked her head. "Yarrow, you can tell me anything."

She lashed out at the gentle cat. "So can you! So do!" He cocked his head. "Yarrow, you are making no sense! Tell me whats wrong!" "You are holding Hawthornpaw hostage!" He frowned, an angry look on his face. "Who told you that?!" "The hunting patrol! Three loyal warriors!" He unsheathed his claws. "Skyclan has done nothing of the sort!" She did the same. "How do I know I can trust you?!" "I am your deputy!" "Not anymore!" She screeched, running out of the cave.

_Where do I go now? _Yarrowpaw wondered. As she padded across Windclan territory, Brightpelt and Brackenclaw came running towards her. "Yarrowpaw! We have been looking everywhere for you!" "Your dad said you can't go to the Gathering! And he wants you back in camp now!" Yarrowpaw looked at the two golden cats and scoffed. "He is not the leader of the clan." "He will be by tommorow!" Brackenclaw spat angry. She took a step back. "Does that mean-" "Yes, Goldenstar is dead. Greeencough got him."

Yarrowpaw bowed her head. "Okay, I will come back with you." They walked her to camp and she went into the apprentice den and fell asleep.

She he had an odd dream that night. She was in a forest, dark, with no cats. "Hello?" She called out. She saw the faint outline of a cat, pure white with a black tipped tail. "I have been waiting for you Yarrowpaw."


	2. Chapter 2

Yarrowpaw hissed. She was bleeding, and all scratched up. But she was smiling. "That all you got Blacktip?" A white she-cat with a black tip tail smiled. "Right back at you Yarrowkit." Yarrowpaw jumped at Blacktip, scratching her ear. Blacktip laughed, without flinching. Yarrowpaw opened her eyes to find she was in her bed of moss, in the apprentice's den.

Rosepaw growned. "Go back to sleep Yarrowpaw, and stop kicking me..." Yarrowpaw nodded, but padded outside instead. Her dad, Timberstar was in his den. Her mom and her 2nd litter of kits, Ripplekit, Wolfkit, and Shellkit were in the Nursery. The med cat and his apprentice were in their den, and the warriors were in theirs. She sighed. It was so peaceful...

She turned her nose up to the sky. There was a suspicious smell in the air, of a rival clan perhaps? It most closely resembled Shadowclan, but it did not smell like cat. It was nothing she had ever smelt before for sure. She went into the apprentice den and nudged Rosepaw. "Wake up."

Rosepaw raised her sleepy head. "What is it Yarrowpaw..." "There is a suspicious smell outside." Rosepaw stood up, sighing. "Whatever..." Her black fur was beautiful, shiny and glamorous. Her stunning rose colored eyes had a tired look in them. The two she-cats walked outside, side by side. Rosepaw stopped dead in her tracks. "Dog."

Greenpaw and Lakepaw padded out of the apprentice den. The two silver toms, identical oter then Greenpaw's green eyes and Lakepaw's golden, looked angry and tired. "The racket you guys were making, I thought a badger was invading the leader's den!" Lakepaw growled. "A dog is nearby!" Rosepaw meowed.

Greenpaw hissed. "No there isn't. Go back to bed." Lakepaw raised his nose in the air. "The only thing I can smell is the fresh kill pile!" Yarrowpaw frowned. We'll we are going to find it! Right Rosepaw?" Rosepaw's rose colored eyes grew large. "We are?!" "Yeah." Lakepaw and Greenpaw shook there heads. "You are gonna get yourself killed, we are coming to prove you wrong."

Yarrowpaw nodded. So it's decided. We leave to find the dog." The four apprentices padded out of camp, tails head high.

A growl sounded through the moors. Greenpaw shivered. "Convinced?" Rosepaw hissed. Lakepaw frowned, glaring at Rosepaw. "It's probably just the wind." Yarrowpaw frowned. Then she stopped in her tracks. "Skyclan." Rosepaw cocked her head. "Skyclan? Why would there be Skyclan here?" Greenpaw rolled his eyes. "Ya, she smells Skyclan, like Rosepaw smelled a dog..."

Lakepaw put her nose in the air. "Actually, I smell it too..." Rosepaw nodded. "Same." Greenpaw narrowed his eyes. Ya. Sure you do." He shook his head, and kept on walking. "C'mon lets go find the 'dog'." He padded into the bushes, and a loud screech was heard. There was a lot of noise, of big and little paws, scratches and bites. The apprentices looked at each over, and ran in.

A big grey dog hovered over Greenpaw's limp bloody body. He was different from other dogs they had seen, big and in a odd way majestic. His golden eyes shone, as he looked at them straight in the eyes. Lakepaw stared at Greenpaw in horror. Rosepaw and Yarrowpaw were speechless. Lakepaw looked at the dog. And attacked.

Lakepaw clawed the animal's eyes. The dog bit back and got Lakepaw's tail. Rosepaw and Yarrowpaw jumped in and bit his legs. He feel to the floor, crippled. Lakepaw bit down hard on his ear, tearing a piece off. Then he screeched, as a large portion or his tail has torn off by the animal. Rosepaw scratched him on the back, and Yarrowpaw bit him again. The animal lay defeated on the grass, bleeding, dead.

Lakepaw padded over to Greenpaw. "G-Greenpaw...?" There was no answer. Greenpaw was dead.


	3. Chapter 3

"What you saw was a wolf." Yarrowpaw and Rosepaw were in the Leader's Den, being confronted by Timberstar. "They are basically dogs that aren't controlled by Twolegs. They are extremely dangerous, yo apprentices are lucky he only got Greenpaw." "He hurt Lakepaw pretty bad." Rosepaw mewed. "Precisely. You two are gonna be punished greatly." "What about Lakepaw?" Yarrowpaw meowed. "Lakepaw... I think he has gone through enough, don't you think?" The apprentices nodded. "Now leave me, while I decide your punishment." The two apprentices padded out into camp.

"HuhRah! HuhRah!" Yarrowpaw turned her head. "I-I got to go. Bye Rosepaw." Yarrowpaw ran out if camp before Rosepaw could react.

Yarrowpaw ran into the cave. "Marsh? Whats up?" Marshpaw was there, with another, younger, golden she-cat. "Yarrowpaw, I want you to meet my little sister, Bloompaw. She is the medicine apprentice for Skyclan." Bloompaw bowed her head in a greeting. Yarrowpaw frowned. "You ringed the emergency code. There's something more." Marshpaw, looking ashamed, nodded. "Yes. Bloompaw, tell her what you saw." "Yarrowpaw, I saw your brother.

"Not in real life, in a dream. He was being chased by a really big black thing, in a forest I didn't reconize." Yarrowpaw looked taken aback. "But the warriors said you took Hawthornpaw!" Marshpaw shook his head. "We saw something behind them, a big grey dog, and were taking the apprentice to bring the other cats out of his range. Afterwards the apprentice ran off after them but from what you are saying, he didn't return to camp..."

Yarrowpaw nodded. "Thank you for telling me. I should return to camp now. Bye Marsh, nice meeting you Bloompaw." She padded out of the cave and back towards camp. "Yarrowpaw! I was looking for you, thought we could do a training session!" Yarrowpaw turned around to see her mentor Smallgaze there. "Where were you? Why are you out here alone?" Kinkspots and Mary followed him. "Uhhh... Hunting?" "Did you catch anything?" Mary purred. Mary was a snow white kittypet with blue eyes kittypet who had joined the clan. "N-No. All the rabbits ran away." Smallgaze shot her a glance but said nothing. "C'mon let's get back to camp."

Yarrowpaw woke up in the apprentice den. Rosepaw was sleeping too, and Lakepaw was napping in a corner. Burntpaw and Buzzardpaw nuzzled together. They had been apprenticed while Yarrowpaw was gone, or so she heard. Tearpaw and Onepaw were in there too, sleeping after their assessment. Yarrowpaw padded outside. The moon was high, full tomorrow. She wondered if she was going to the Gathering.

She sighed. "Am I gonna go look for my brother?" She asked herself. "No. You are not." Her father padded out of the Leader Den. "Yarrowpaw, you are forbidden from leaving camp. The wolf could have hurt you, or worse!" Yarrowpaw looked up at Timberstar. "Don't you care about Hawthornpaw?" "He was captured by Skyclan, and we will bring it up at The Gathering. Which you will not be attending." The apprentice looked up at her father. "No they didn't!" Timberstar frowned. "Go back to sleep its late."He padded back into the Leader Den, leaving Yarrowpaw alone in the clearing.

She was about to go back to bed when she heard faint mewing. She turned her head and followed the noise. She found a four moon old kit, cream with a white tipped tail, white ears, a white muzzle and white paws. She was mewing helplessly, Yarrowpaw knew she couldn't just leave her. She looked around to make sure no one was around and ran for the cave. She called the alarm, and Marshpaw came looking tired.

"What is it Yarrow?" He yawned. "Its late-" He froze when he saw the kit in Yarrowpaw's mouth. "Is that-" His eyes went wide. Yarrowpaw set it down. I found it in the woods. What do you think we should do with it? I just couldn't leave it out there..." She looked up. "Marsh?" Marshpaw was staring at the kit, who had started to wail silently, with open eyes. "Snowstar..." Yarrowpaw's eyes grew wide with his. "Do you think it is?" "It must be, she has all the same markings..."

Snowstar had been the past leader of Skyclan, when Marshpaw and Yarrowpaw had been new apprentices. He had died 3 moons ago, but from what Yarrowpaw had saw of her from gatherings, she did have all the white spots in the markings, the same creamy pelt... Yarrowpaw looked Marshpaw in the eyes. "We have to care for her. We can't let anyone know." And so they made Snowkit a nest, brought her fresh kill, (she was old enough to not need milk), brought her water, and came to visit her whenever possible.

A moon passed. Marshpaw, Yarrowpaw and Bloompaw (who came to visit and feed when the other two were busy) were the only ones who knew about the kit. One day, Yarrowpaw was leaving, and she met with Mary and Kinkspots. Mary cocked her head. "Where did that kit come from?" Yarrowpaw turned around, to see in horror, Snowkit behind her, following her to the camp.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hi mommy!" Chirped the small white and cream colored kit. "I followed you! Are you proud of me?" Yarrowpaw stared at horror at the kit. Mary sat there, waiting for an answer. "Well?" Yarrowpaw looked back at Mary. "I have no idea who this kit is." Snowkit looked devastated. "Yarrowpaw?" Mary frowned. "Then how does this kit know your name?" Yarrowpaw sighed. "I have been taking care of this... uh loner kit. Alone." She looked up at Mary pleadingly. "Please don't tell anyone!"

Mary shook her head. "Alright. But if I find anything that proves that you can't take care of it, I will tell Timberstar." She padded away back to camp, while Yarrowpaw looked back at the 5 moon old kit. "What did I tell you about following mommy and daddy?!" Snowkit looked down at the ground sadly. "I thought you would be proud that I could climb all the way to the bad place..."

Yarrowpaw sighed. "Ugh, I can't be mad at you. C'mon, lets go back." Snowkit shook her head. "I like it here! Its pretty!" Yarrowpaw realized she couldn't keep the kit in the dark cave all its life. "In a moon... you can come move to a home up here." Snowkit jumped up and down happy. "Yay! Sunshine and fresh kill and water and clans! Yay!" Yarrowpaw smiled and brought the kit back to her underground home.

Today Marshpaw was taking care of Snowkit, so Yarrowpaw was free to do her warrior duties. She realized tonight was the Gathering, and hoped that she would be able to go. She wondered if any past leaders had been reborn as kits too. Marshpaw had reported one of his clans new kits looking like Wrenstar, so Yarrowpaw was keeping her eyes peeled.

Yarrowpaw padded into camp, and took a rabbit off the freshkill pile. Shellkit and Ripplekit came up to her and asked to play, and Yarrowpaw had fun chasing them around acting like a badger. The kits squealed with delight and run as fast as their tiny legs could carry them,and it really was good fun.

Her father smiled as he watched his kits play. "Yarrowpaw, when you are finished playing with your kin, can you go with Smallgaze and Duskberry on their hunting patrol? The freshkill pile is dangerously low." Yarrowpaw nodded and set out with her mentor and the dark warrior. "Where are we hunting?" She asked. "Me and Duskberry are headed for the left field. Can you cover the Lavender Forest near Twolegplace?"

Yarrowpaw nodded and headed for the relaxing field of purple herbs. She sniffed around the trees for signs of prey. She caught a whiff of something delicious- not prey though, or lavender. Under it there was a evil tone, like it was a trap of some sort... despite this, Yarrowpaw copuld not resist getting closer... and closer... . . .

**CLANG! CLING! CAAAAUT! **"We got another one! One step closer to getting rid of this here infestation!"

Yarrowpaw opened her eyes. She was surrounded by cats with stars in their pelts. Yarrowpaw looked around worried. "Am I dead?!" A mottled dark brown tom with yellow eyes approached her. "No Yarrowpaw, you have simply been sent here to receive a message."

Yarrowpaw's eyes widened. "What kind of message?" A white she-cat with long whiskers padded up to the apprentice. and cleared her throat. "The folk of work will break the sky, and turn the daytime into night." Her words were mystical, and Yarrowpaw knew that this message was important. She knew not what it meant, but it did not sound good.

The tom looked at her sadly, with a look of pain in his distant eyes. "When you wake up, you will need to help the rest of the cats there, even if they don't seem like they need it." His yellow eyes rested on Yarrowpaw. He touched his nose to her head. "We are counting on you Yarrowpaw."

Yarrowpaw woke up from her dream to find herself in a cage, in the back of a twoleg monster. Countless other cages surrounded her, all filled with cats who looked like they had given upon all hope. She recognized Rubblepaw of Shadowclan, and Otterstripe of Riverclan. And in the farthest corner of the monster lay a cage separated form the others. In it lay Hawthornpaw.


End file.
